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Crimson
Crimson is the third novel in the Order of Darkness series. Plot Part I: Cast Away The Order's armada continues towards the capital of Veyriel. While on the way, Ken's ship, the Queen Fury, crashes into a Ghost Ship. Unable to sail until repairs are completed; Reika, Raven, and Ken proceed to explore the ship while Shana stays behind in a bout of illness. While exploring, it is revealed that the ship was once pursued and destroyed by Ken, more than a thousand years ago. The Ghost Ship then begins to sink as the group narrowly escapes. The following day as the armada enters the Sea of Mul, Ken is reminded of Leviathan, the guardian of the seas, and just as he is about to warn the armada, Leviathan strikes. Ken, Shana, Raven, and Reika fight the beast but are unable to defeat it. As Leviathan destroys the Queen Fury, the group is knocked unconscious and left stranded on an island. While on the island, the group is captured by Amnell's forces and are taken to Veyriel for imprisonment. During their imprisonment, riots begin to break out, providing an opportunity for the Order to escape. Having failed their objective, the group hijacks a prototype airship and make their way to Amnesia. Part II: Unbridled Knowledge Upon arriving to Amnesia, Ken begins to formulate a new plan in dealing with the Black Knights, while Raven and Reika take The Invincible to pursue a different lead in the Tower of the Ancients. While in the tower, the two are separated and Reika makes her way to the archives at the top floor. Meanwhile, Raven, knowing what information lies in the archives, attempts to reach Reika before she can discover it. Vesper, curious and still doubtful that Ken has told her the whole truth, begins searching for answers, and unknowingly attunes herself to the Tower. Reika finds out that the current Enlightened trace back to an ancient order of warriors led by a Haile and Messam St. Evremond more than 2,000 years ago, along with various records of Ken's involvement throughout history. She also finds documents describing a dark god named Kharsis that was sealed away by a goddess, and the key to break the seal lies within a sacred blade named Caladbolg. Reika believes that Ken means to use Caladbolg to release Kharsis. Raven finds Reika in the room and demands to know what she has found out. Reika, no longer trusting of Raven, attacks him and unknowingly enters the second stage of her Affinity. Raven is wounded, and Reika's immense surge of power opens a portal to Firewall. Reika awakens in Firewall, in the presence of Kharsis, who tells her the destruction of the world is inevitable, and reveals that Reika is the reincarnation of the goddess that sealed him away more than 10,000 years ago. He then banishes her from his realm, proclaiming that his return is nigh. Meanwhile, Ken, who has second thoughts of sending Reika to the tower, makes his way there and finds a wounded Raven. After hearing Raven's explanation, Ken orders the immediate capture of Reika and names her a traitor. Reika awakens at Mount Anthor and is subsequently captured by Morgan. Reika is then taken to Excelia and is sentenced to confinement for all time. Part III: Where Two Paths Converge After Reika is confined, Lilith tries to persuade Ken to release Reika as it was Ken's fault for not telling her the whole truth that she found out. Ken does not reconsider. Lilith is torn between wanting to help Reika and obligated by her duty to serve the Order, but ultimately decides to help Vesper escape. Before she can take action however, the Black Knights attack Excelia by taking The Invincible to reach the city. During the attack, the Black Knights find Vesper, and after hearing her explanation, offer to let her join their side. Reika agrees. As Ken and the others prepare to escape via the Midnight Sun, Amnell catches up to them and engages the Order, only to be stopped by Kenshin, who then faces Amnell in a final confrontation. Kenshin is killed, but manages to provide enough time to allow Ken and the others to escape while leaving Amnell grievously wounded. The Black Knights then take control over Excelia, and Amnell uses Shana's healing power (which was meant for Kenshin) for himself. Fully recovered, Amnell orders the Black Knights to follow the Order and defeat them once and for all. Part IV: Dies Irae Ken leads his group to the Tower of the Ancients to recover from the Black Knight's attack. Ken challenges the Black Knights to a decisive battle. While the Black Knights and the Order clash, Ken leaves the battlefield. Raven, still recovering from his injuries, realizes what Reika has found out and discovers that the Marquis has been feigning allegiance to the Order, and that he desires to revive Kharsis. Raven heads to the battlefield to find Ken but ends up facing off against Amnell and Reika, and he apparently loses. During their fight, Reika realizes Raven's intentions and aides him in defeating Amnell, as she knows the Black Knights are not the real threat. Shana provides healing to Amnell, telling him that he is not their enemy, prompting Reika and Raven to realize she has known about Kharsis from the beginning. Meanwhile, Ken arrives to an ancient monument. Ken muses that while Caladbolg is powerful, Anastasia contains the ability to open the portal to Firewall. Ken opens the portal and summons Kharsis, the God of Destruction. As he appears, Kharsis questions why Ken is standing before him, and not Messam. Ken retreats to the main battlefield, where he proclaims that the true decisive battle has begun. Kharsis comes forth and reveals that Ken was planning to summon him and take his power for himself. Confused, both the Order and the Black Knights take no action; Ken tells them Kharsis is lying and then reveals his plan: Kharsis is the very embodiment of evil, and as a result, his demise would mean that evil itself would disappear from the hearts of both the Enlightened and Humans. Kharsis, realizing he cannot turn the Enlightened against each other, confirms this and reveals more: he proclaims that he was banished by Reika, the goddess, more than 10,000 years ago for imbuing man with evil and that the Reika present is in fact her reincarnation, much to the surprise of everyone. Ken tells the group that Kharsis is supposed to be weakened due to his enslavement and it is revealed that only a person who's soul is as dark as Kharsis can defeat him. Lilith reveals that she can, due to her Affinity, but battling against Kharsis would come at a heavy cost for her body. Lilith fights Kharsis with the aid of Shana, but the battle ultimately ends in Lilith being fatally stabbed by Kharsis. Ken intervenes, activating Axiom to destroy Kharsis. Everything then seemingly fades into nothingness. Trivia *In this novel, Reika is the protagonist. *''Dies Irae'' is Latin for "day of wrath."